The Hardest Part
by livelovelast
Summary: AU. Jack had thought that he would never hear from Kate again, but five years later he's in for a shocking surprise. She's back, and what she tells him will change both of their lives forever. The worst part? One of them may not survive.
1. Victims of Love

Well, once I start writing again the ideas really start coming! This story just wouldn't leave me alone, and I'm itching to start another continuing story. I'm sorry if you were reading my old one, which I'll try to get back to eventually, but give this a chance. I'm only going to continue it if reviews are sufficient, since I have plenty of other ideas if this isn't appealing. So if you're interested, review!

Anways, this is an AU. I have alot of great ideas planned, so I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

Jack Shephard stumbled into his apartment, carrying three bags of groceries. He hadn't gone shopping in over a month, and he was dangerously low on food. Being at the hospital so much had kept him from noticing for a while, but he had faced a shocking surprise the previous night when looking for dinner.

His answering machine was blinking with two new messages when he walked in, and he managed to free his hand in order to press the play button. As he put down the bags, his mother's voice filled the room.

"Hello, Jack. I hope you aren't at the hospital; you've been there every day this week. Anyway, I'm just calling to check in, and see how you're doing. Give me a call when you get the chance."

He had been receiving these calls regularly since his father died last year. His mother was lonely, occupying her time with finding flaws in her maids, going to as many functions as possible, and checking in on her only son. He made a mental note to call her back after putting the groceries away.

The next message began to play as he picked up a jar of jam. "Hi, Jack. Wow, this is awkward," he heard a light laugh. "I'm sure you thought you'd never hear from me again. It's Kate, Kate Austen."

The jar fell from his hand, shattering across the floor. He hardly noticed, however, as he listened intently to the message.

"I was wondering if you would meet with me. I, uh, understand if you don't want to, but I would really appreciate it. Here's my number," The digits meant nothing to him compared to the voice dictating them, "So, call me back. If you want to, I mean. Well, bye."

His eyes remained on the answering machine long after the message ended. The voice was one he never expected to hear again. "Kate," he whispered.

* * *

He hadn't called her back that day. Every time he picked up the phone, he was overcome with doubt. Why was she calling him after all this time? Things hadn't ended on a good note with them, and he wasn't sure he even wanted to talk to her after what she put him through.

But now he was sitting in his office at a particularly slow time of the day, staring at the number he had taken out of his pocket, the number he had been carrying around since he wrote it down. Curisosity would get the better of him eventually, so he might as well get it over with.

His fingers shook as he dialed the numbers, and the dial tone was louder than he remembered it being. It rang three times before he heard the click of a connection.

"Hello?" He sucked in his breath. There it was again: the voice that, at one time, could have made him do anything.

In all honesty, it probably still could.

"Hi, Kate? It's Jack." He tried to keep his voice from shaking, and was relieved when he got the words out coherently.

"Oh, wow! I, um, didn't think you would call me back," she admitted.

He might as well be honest. "Neither did I."

She was quiet for a moment. "I deserve that," she agreed. "But, Jack, it's just..." she let out a breath. "It's kind of great just to hear your voice."

So it wasn't just him. "Yeah, well..." He tried to keep a solid train of thought. "Uh, why did you call me, Kate?"

"I was hoping you would meet with me," she explained, "and before you say no, just consider it. Please."

He tried to say no anyway, just to show her how it felt. But talking to her again was like giving drugs to a junkie- he couldn't turn her away.

"Yeah, sure. Just name the place."

* * *

She had insisted they meet that night, and he couldn't help but think she seemed excited. He tried to shake that thought, not wanting to get his hopes up. He took the elevator to her apartment, trying to think of anything but that first glance at her. He shouldn't be excited for this.

He took a moment at the door, and then knocked gently. He could hear footsteps, but they were soon drowned out by his heartbeat speeding up. The door was opening-

"Jack!" He hardly had a second to collect himself before he was being wrapped in a tight hug, curly brown hair all he could see. "Oh my god." Her face was buried in his shoulder, and he couldn't help but squeeze her a little bit tighter. He had never been good at resistance.

She finally drew back, and he sucked in a tight breath. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. It was surreal, seeing her again. "Hey," was all he could manage.

"Come on inside," she smiled, opening the door more widely.

He stepped inside the apartment, nearly tripping over a shoe in the process.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed, "I always-"

"Leave your shoes by the door. I remember," he finished. It had been one of her bad habits. They had tried everything; shoe racks, doormats, even signs to help her remember. Nothing had helped.

She laughed. "Of course you do. You nearly broke you ankle that one time."

He let out a light chuckle at the memory. However, the trip down memory lane was making him uncomfortable. "Something smells good," he remarked, a feeble attempt to change the subject.

"Yeah, it's just pasta. I didn't have anything prepared... I really didn't think you would come," she said softly.

He might as well be honest. "I'm still kind of wondering why I'm here."

"I don't blame you," she replied. "Look, maybe we should sit down."

She led him to the living room and they sat down, him on the couch and her on the chair opposite. They were both quiet, neither knowing what to say. Kate spoke up first.

"Do you hate me?" Her voice shook, so low he had to strain to hear it.

He knew what he wanted to say; what most people in his position would say. But instead he sighed. "You know I can't."

She nodded. "I wouldn't blame you if you did," she told him.

He looked down at his hands. "I thought I hated you, for a while. But it's been five years. I moved on." He wasn't sure if he was lying or not.

"But I... I broke you heart," she choked out. "You're being too nice to me."

"Kate, it happens. Guys pop the question, girls say no. They don't usually leave town a week later, but you were always one of a kind." He was down playing it. He had been a mess, a disaster.

"Jack, I am so, so sorry." Her head dropped. "I was stupid. So stupid," she mumbled. "I was only twenty-four, and I was scared of being tied down. It made sense at the time."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" he asked. God, why had he come? All this endeavor would do was drudge up old pain, pain he had managed to dull in the past five years. "I would have backed off, given you space. I thought..." He didn't finish. He wasn't sure what he had thought, but obviously he had been wrong.

"Because I loved you. I was scared of commitment, but I was scared of losing you too. But then... you asked me to marry you, and I was... terrified," she admitted.

"The thought of spending your life with me was that bad?" he asked, the hurt showing in his eyes.

"No! No, Jack, not at all. I just can't explain it. I was so happy, but getting married? It seemed so... big." She sighed, then stood up and walked over to sit beside him. He gulped; he could feel her body heat. "It was all me. You didn't do anything wrong."

She lifted his hand off his lap, holding it in hers. "You need to understand that."

He nodded, his eyebrows knitted together. "I do," he replied. He felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He had spent the last five years wondering why she had left. "I don't understand why I'm here though. After all this time, what made you call me?"

She leaned into the cushion, still keeping his hand in hers. "I've been doing alot of thinking. You know, about life. I decided I'm going to correct all my mistakes."

He glanced over at her, suddenly struck by how tired she looked. "Are you saying I was a mistake?"

She shook her head. "Of course not, weren't you listening? _Leaving_ you was the mistake. The biggest mistake of my life," she admitted.

"Wow," was all he could say. Two days ago, Kate was a memory. Now she was sitting here, her hand in his, saying that she wished she had never let him go. "Wow," he repeated.

"I know it's overwhelming. I've had more time to think about it. So if you walk out that door right now, slam it in my face if you want, I won't blame you."

He didn't know what to say. She was telling him he had a choice, but her eyes were pleading with him to stay. But why? Why _now?_

"I just... What got you thinking about all of this?" he asked, trying to buy some time, as well as being genuinely curious. Kate had always been impulsive, not someone who thought things through.

Her head bowed, she bit her lip. It was a habit he had noticed, a little thing she did when something was really bothering her. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were filled with tears. Her grip on his hand grew tighter.

"I have cancer, Jack. I'm dying."

* * *

Review if you want more. Any unanswered questions will, of course, have their answers revealed later. If I continue, that is. ;)


	2. Skeptics and True Believers

Thank you so much for all the reviews! Like promised, here is the next chapter. I hope it doesn't dissapoint; it was really difficult to write.

Also, I need to clear something up. They were never on the island. This is completely AU. They met under different circumstances, seven years ago, and broke up five years ago. Anything else will be explained later. :)

* * *

"Cancer?" Jack choked out. He wouldn't even address the second part of her answer. She couldn't be dying. Not now, when she had finally come back.

Kate nodded. "I was diagnosed three years ago. Chronic myelogenous leukemia," she told him.

"That's not what your mother had," he noted. He would have thought that what ever she had contracted would be hereditary. He had visited her mother in the hospital many times while they were still dating. He had held Kate while she cried about her mother's death, and he had talked her out of taking her anger out on her father.

"No, it's not," she agreed. "The doctors don't know the cause, but I guess it doesn't matter. I'm still in the chronic stage and being treated, but it's been three years. It could become accelerated at any point now, and then..." she trailed off, not needing to explain.

He knew what would happen. Once the disease became accelerated, she would have 3-6 months before her bone marrow began producing what they call "blasts" of cancerous cells. At that point, her best bet was a bone marrow transplant. But those were hard to come by, and may not even work.

He took a deep breath. "And then I get you the best treatment L.A. has to offer."

Kate smiled sadly. "No, Jack. And then I die."

"No!" he shouted. "No. Kate, you can't expect me to just... to just watch you die. You know that I can get you the best doctors, the best treatment-"

"Then what?" She asked. Her face was resigned, as if she'd considered this all before. "Then I go through hell only to be told there's nothing they can do? You need to face it; I already have. Without a bone marrow transplant, there's not much hope."

"There's not much, but it's there. You are not going to die." He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince, her or himself. He just knew he wasn't doing a good job on either.

She smiled at him, her eyes beginning to water again. "I should have known you'd react this way. But Jack, you can't fix this."

"Kate-" He started.

She gently placed a finger over his mouth. "Please. Listen to me. I've had three years to think about this. Three years to consider every possible path, and worry about everything that could go wrong. And finally, finally, I made my decision. I'm not going to suffer if I don't have to. I just want to live the time I have left the best I can."

"And that includes me?" he asked hesitantly.

She smiled. "That includes you. If you'll let it," she added in an undertone, glancing at him uncertainly.

He had actually forgotten, through the shock of it all, what she had done to him. Could he let her just come back into his life, only to have it up heaved again if she- he couldn't consider her dying. He couldn't consider it, but he knew the possibility was there. His life would be ruined again, and who knew if he could recover this time?

From a medical standpoint, he could deal with this. However, watching her die slowly in front of his own eyes would probably destroy him.

She sensed his hesitation. "I'll understand if you don't want to stay. It's selfish of me to even ask you to." Her voice broke on the last word. He could see she was trying to hold back tears.

"I..." He didn't know. He felt like he didn't know anything anymore. "It's alot to take in." He could see her face falling, but he couldn't deal with this. It was too much.

"I know," she agreed, her eyes looking anywhere but at him.

He couldn't let himself fall in love with her again, just to lose her again. "Kate..." She finally met his eyes. "I have to go."

Her tears spilled over, but she just nodded. "Okay," she choked out.

"I'm sorry," he tried. Now he was the one that couldn't look at her.

"I know," she replied. "I'm sorry too," she whispered, biting her lip as a sob escaped.

He stood up, maybe too fast, because his head was spinning. No words came to mind, nothing that could convey the emotions rushing through him right now. He glanced at Kate, but her head was in her hands now, her face covered by hair. She was silently crying, he realized. He felt the dizziness come in another wave.

"Bye," he said softly, but the word barely escaped. He didn't wait for a response, quickly leaving the apartment. He closed the door behind him softly, but not before hearing one more sob come from the living room.

He made it to parking garage, but not his car, before he threw up his stomach's entire contents into the nearest trash container. His body shook even after he finished. Finally regaining his footing, he made it inside his car and began to drive away.

He made it maybe a mile before he pulled into an abandoned parking lot, shaking so hard he could hardly keep a grip on the wheel. He gasped as he sat back into the seat, his mind racing.

The shock of merely seeing her again could have been enough, but this? He hadn't been at all prepared for the pain he was feeling right now. Cancer. The thought of her suffering would have made him get sick again, if there was anything left inside of him.

And for her to just... die. How could she give up like that? Didn't she understand what her life meant to the world? What it meant to him?

He banged his palms against the side of the steering wheel in anger. Obviously she didn't understand. She had left him before, and he had thought that was the worst day of his life. Now he wasn't so sure.

He couldn't lose her again. It wasn't something he could handle. His mind went back five years, to the drinking, the "time off" from work, and the random women he had been with in hopes of forgetting her for just a minute. It had seemed as if that was rock bottom, but maybe it wasn't.

He turned the key to start the engine again, but then stopped. His empty apartment didn't seem the least bit appealing. That's when it hit him. He could either lose Kate now, by running away, or at least spend what little time she had left with her. What the hell was he doing running away?

This time he had barely turned the key before he was peeling out of the parking lot, quickly covering the mile back to her building. He had barely parked his car before he jumped out, almost forgetting to close the door. He ran up the stairs to her apartment, and didn't even stop to knock before opening the door.

She was right where he left her, sitting on the couch with her back to him. When she heard the door open, her head whipped around. Her red-rimmed eyes were wide, staring at him in shock. There were still tears running down her face.

He was stuck where he was standing. "I couldn't leave," he admitted, his voice shaky. "I'm not going anywhere."

She let out a choked gasp, fresh tears now flowing from her eyes. He was hardly aware of her getting off the couch before she was running into his arms. He caught her as she lifted her legs to wrap them around him, her face buried into his neck while she sobbed. "Thank you," she said softly, and his grip on her tightened.

In that moment, he vowed never to leave her crying again.

* * *

Rviews are always appreciated. :)


	3. Let the Flames Begin

So I was _hoping_ to get to 20 reviews on the last chapter, but 19 is close enough :). This chapter is full of shameless fluff, so enjoy it while you can in such an angsty story.

And thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and put this on your story alerts. You have no idea how much i appreciate it. :)

* * *

Jack spent the night on the sofa, having stayed at Kate's apartment past a reasonable hour the night before. She looked like she had considered inviting him to stay in her room, then thought better of it. After all, she had only been back for a day.

"Rise and shine!" He woke up to the sound of a laughing Kate. He couldn't see her, but her voice traveled into the living room.

"Huh?" He rose, groggy and disoriented, into a sitting position. This only caused her laughter to increase.

"Come on. I even made bacon, just for you," she called. Now that she mentioned it, the smell was overwhelming. He rose to his feet, finding her in the kitchen.

He had to regain his senses all over again upon seeing her at the stove in a tank top and shorts. It was reminiscent of their time together all those years ago, and he smiled at the memory.

"Why do you even have bacon hanging around? You don't eat it." He took a seat at her kitchen counter, and she flushed lightly.

"I don't," she admitted sheepishly.

"You went out to the store?" She nodded. "You didn't have to do that, you know."

"I know, but... you came back. It was the least I could do," she replied.

He ducked his head. He didn't want her to feel indebted to him for returning. "And you changed back into your pajamas?" he noticed with a smirk.

She chuckled. "They're comfortable," she shrugged.

She served him a plate, taking a seat across from him. "How'd you sleep?" she asked.

"Surprisingly well for being on a couch," he replied. He had a vague idea as to why that was.

"That's good," she said lightly. It was painfully obvious that they were both avoiding the larger issue. What would happen now?

There hadn't been much talk after he came back. The late hour made them both hesitant to engage in a serious discussion. Mostly he had held her, letting her calm her crying until they were both about to fall asleep.

Kate was the one who was brave enough to bring up the topic. "So... Where does this put us?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "All I know is that I couldn't face going back to my apartment and never seeing you again."

She smiled at him. "I guess we could take it slow. I don't want to rush into anything in case you change your mind."

"I won't change my mind," he assured her, "But if you want to take it slow, I'm all for it."

"Okay," she agreed. Then she laughed "Does taking it slow mean you shouldn't stay at my apartment?"

He laughed in return. "Probably," he admitted. "Hey, why don't I take you out to dinner tonight? I have to stop in at the hospital for a while, but after that I'm free."

"I'd love to," she smiled. "So we're dating. Again."

"Again," he agreed.

* * *

Jack sat at his desk, sifting through papers. His attention was caught by a knock at the door.

"You asked me to come down?" He was looking at Marc Silverman, the best oncologist in the hospital, and also his best friend.

"Yeah, thanks for coming," Jack replied, waving him over to sit down.

"No problem," Marc smiled. "What's up?"

"Well, I have a favor to ask. I just found out my... friend has cancer, and I was wondering if you'd take a look at her file."

"Sure, I'll see what I can do," Marc replied, propping his legs on the desk with a smirk. "Does this friend have a name?"

"It's Kate, Marc," Jack admitted, letting out a sigh.

"Wait, your Kate?" Marc asked in shock. Jack nodded. "Wow, man, I'm sorry. Is it bad?"

"From what she tells me, yeah," Jack replied.

"But, how did you find out? You haven't heard from her in five years." Marc had been there when Kate left, having worked at the hospital for a year at that time. He knew how low Jack had sunk after the break-up.

"She got in touch with me the other day. It's a long story, but she essentially told me leaving me was the biggest mistake of her life. But she's dying, Marc, and I can't lose her again. You have to help me," he pleaded with his friend.

"I'll get a hold of her file, see what I can do. Are you okay? This is alot to take in," Marc replied.

"I think so. For now, at least. We're giving it another chance," he told him.

"Well, good luck. You know I always liked Kate," Marc said.

"You told me after she left that you always knew she was bad news," Jack reminded him, shaking his head.

"Yeah, well, that's what I was supposed to say at the time. But I really do like her," Marc winked, and then turned to leave. "I'll talk to you later."

* * *

He picked her up at seven, just like he said he would. His breath caught in his throat when he saw how beautiful she looked in a casual dress; his memory hadn't done her justice at all.

"You're on time," she smiled when she opened the door. "Bordering on early, actually."

"Is that so shocking?" He asked, fully knowing the answer.

She raised her eyebrows. "You aren't known for your punctuality, Jack."

He laughed. "Well, I guess this will be a new experience."

They walked to his car, and her eyes widened when she saw it. "You got a new car?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," he replied, unlocking the doors.

"I thought you would never give up that old one. It was like your baby," she teased.

"Yeah, well, this one's pretty nice too," he replied, opening the door for her. He left out the fact that his old car had never been the same without her in the passenger seat.

They were seated quickly at the restaurant, in a seat next to a large window. It was still so strange, being with her again. They were seated across from each other like no time had passed.

"So," she began, taking a sip of her drink. "Tell me about the last five years."

"There isn't much to tell," He admitted, "and what little there is isn't very interesting."

"Oh, come on," she urged him. "Something interesting must have happened."

"Marc got married," he informed her. He had been the best man, forced to watch as his best friend experienced his dream.

Kate laughed. "As shocking as that is," she replied, "I want to hear about you."

"Well, I hit some trouble with work and had to work that back out, but everything's good now," he said, hoping she wouldn't question further.

She did. "What kind of trouble?"

He sighed. "I didn't take you leaving very well. I wasn't showing up for work on time, and when I did show up I was usually hung over. The chief of surgery had me take some time off, but its fine now." He tried his hardest to down play it, knowing she would blame herself for his problems.

"I'm so sorry, Jack." She shook her head, angry with herself. "I wasted so much time, time we could have been together before this. It's my fault we both went through so much unnecessary pain."

He didn't ask about her pain, because he didn't want to know. He could tell by the look on her face that she hadn't done well either after the break up.

"Hey," He put his hand over hers on the table, "We're here now. We can't go back, but we can make up for lost time. So let's not dwell on the past."

She let out a light chuckle. "When did you get so optimistic?"

"When I heard your voice on my answering machine. I never expected to hear from you again, but here you are. So start doing what you said you were going to do, and just live," he told her.

She smiled crookedly at him. "You need to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" He asked in concern.

"Saying things like that. If you keep doing it, I'm going to fall in love with you all over again, and we're supposed to be taking it slow."

It took all he had not to reach across the table and kiss her, but somehow he just managed to smile.

They spent the rest of dinner talking about the happier things that had happened during their time apart. Kate wanted to hear more about the woman that had tamed Marc, and he laughed as he relayed the story to her.

It was just like before, eerily so. As if no time had passed, they picked up where they had left off. Surreal as it was, Jack wouldn't question it. He had dreamed of her coming back a thousand times, and he was going to enjoy it.

He hated to drive her back to her apartment, but the dating thing required that he did so. "Why don't you come up for a minute?" She asked when they reached her building, clearly feeling the same way. "Come on, one more drink."

"Why not?" he smiled, and followed her up the stairs. When they reached her door, she led him inside.

As he walked through the doorway, he nearly tripped over a shoe she had left in the way. She let out a loud laugh, her laughter only intensifying when she caught the look on his face. "I'm sorry," she managed to get out.

All he could focus on way her face, her eyes lit up with laughter, and her hair slightly messy from the wind outside. She caught his eyes and her laughter died down, her lips still slightly parted as she gazed back at him. Neither was surprised as their lips met, and neither of them knew who initiated it. It didn't matter.

Their lips moved desperately against each other, finally reconnected after so much lost time. The feeling was familiar yet different, more than they had ever experienced before. Breaking for air didn't even seem to be an option, but soon it was a necessity.

Kate leaned back against the wall, her eyes closed and breathing labored. Her hands stayed on Jack's shoulders. "Is this what you want?" he asked her. "You're the one who wanted to take it slow."

Kate opened her eyes. "Screw taking it slow. Five years is slow enough." She smiled up at him. "Just kiss me."


	4. For You I Will

Okay, so I tried to keep the medical talk to a minimum in this chapter, and I hope it was understandable. I can't imagine it being too complex, because I barely know what I'm talking about, but if that leads to any confusion feel free to ask.

Also, I have three possible endings to this fic. One with Kate living, one with Kate dying, and one with what you could call a happy medium. Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Flashback is in itatics. Thought you'd enjoy seeing more of their encounter. ;)

* * *

The mattress was too hard, and the pillow too soft. Even the light coming in the windows was brighter than he was used to, so that Jack had to squint when he opened his eyes. He turned on his side, looking at the other side of the bed. Well, that clarified it. Kate's sleeping form was a dead giveaway; he wasn't in his own bed.

As if she could feel his eyes on her, Kate's own eyes fluttered open. "Hey," she said softly, her voice muffled by the pillow.

He smiled at her, his head propped up by his arm. "Hey."

"You sleep good?" she asked, following the question with a yawn.

"Even better than last night," he replied.

She laughed lightly, her eyes closing.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked with a hint of concern. "You seem pretty tired."

She laughed again, louder this time. "You kind of wore me out last night, Jack," she blushed.

* * *

_"Screw taking it slow. Five years is slow enough." Kate smiled up at him. "Just kiss me."_

_Jack was more than willing, pressing his lips against hers gently, and then with more force. He traced her lips with his tongue, and she opened her mouth in welcome. Each was surprised by the familiarity, the comfort that came from kissing the other. The explored each other's mouths, getting reacquainted with the characteristics they had once known so well._

_She was pulling his shirt over his head before he knew what was happening, breaking the kiss for a short time. But her arms were back around his now bare shoulders in no time. He smiled against her mouth, breaking her grasp so that he could lift off her dress._

_She was thinner than he remembered, probably a side effect of the cancer. He pushed that thought aside, not wanting to ruin the euphoric mood he was experiencing. Instead he lowered his hands to rub small circles on her hips._

_Rather than return to his lips, Kate buried her face into his neck, breathing him in while planting small kisses on the exposed skin. Her hot breath was driving him crazy._

_She broke away. "Bedroom's down the hall," she said breathily. The only problem seemed to be that she wouldn't detach herself from him. He solved it easily enough, picking her up, her legs wrapped around him, and carrying her down the hall. _

_He found the bedroom easily enough, dropping her gently onto the bed and positioning himself over her. "You know," he smiled, "This is kind of the opposite of taking it slow."_

_"Stupid idea," she kissed his shoulder. "Who came up with that, anyway?"_

_He laughed, playing with a lock of her hair. "I think it was you. But we can pretend it was never mentioned."_

"_There's a good idea." She grinned wickedly, flipping them over so she was on top. "Now let's get your pants off."_

* * *

"If I remember correctly, you were more than a willing participant," Jack reminded her.

She smiled sleepily at him. "There's no denying that."

He chuckled to himself, and then started to get up. "Hey," Kate interjected. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I was gonna make you some breakfast," he replied.

"I'm not hungry." Her stomach chose that moment to growl, and she groaned at the inconvenience. "Okay, maybe a little bit," she admitted. "But, can you just stay here a little longer?" She bit her lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"Am I supposed to say no to that?" He replied in defeat. He positioned himself next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close against him.

"Thank you," she said softly, closing her eyes again.

* * *

He had to stop in at the hospital, much to both of their disappointment. When he offered to take the day off, however, she protested.

"I don't want you to go out of your way just because I'm here," she insisted. "Go on, I'll see you tonight."

He was walking through the halls of the hospital when he bumped into Marc. "Hey, man, I was just looking for you," Marc greeted him.

"What's up?" Jack asked.

"I got Kate's file," he responded, holding up a folder.

"Already?" Jack hadn't expected to see the file for a few days, if at all.

"Well, I pulled some serious strings," Marc admitted sheepishly.

"I owe you," Jack told him.

Marc gave him a small smile. "Just buy me a drink sometime this week."

Jack nodded. "So what are we dealing with here?"

Marc's face fell only the slightest bit, but Jack noticed. "Why don't we take this somewhere a little more private?" he suggested.

They were a ways away from Jack's office, so they entered an on-call room. Jack took a seat on the cot, while Marc remained standing.

"Let's hear it," Jack said, his tone defeated.

"Okay," Marc began, "Just prepare yourself."

Jack nodded weakly.

"She was diagnosed three years ago with chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML," His tone was detached, clinical, and Jack was grateful. He didn't think he could handle pity. "It's uncommon for people as young as Kate, and people her age usually get a more accelerated form of the cancer. Kate's no exception. She's still in the chronic phase, but given how long she's been sick, that could change anytime. She's on imatinib right now, but it's not working as well as it should. Usually it stops the growth of cancerous cells, but it isn't as effective with Kate. She'll be fine for a while, but once it becomes accelerated, she's gonna need a bone marrow transplant, or..." He didn't have to finish. They both knew what would happen. She would die.

Jack sighed, leaning back against the wall. "The donor list?" he asked softly.

"She's not even near the top. She'll move up as she gets worse, but that also means she'd have to get worse," Marc frowned. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Don't be," Jack replied, sitting back up. "She isn't going to die."

"Jack-"

"No. Please." He didn't have to say anything else. It was easy to see what Jack wanted; someone to agree with him. Someone who was creditable to just say that maybe she had a chance.

"Talk to her. See if she'll be willing to let me take over her case." Marc shook his head, hoping this wasn't more than he could handle. "But I'm not making any promises."

* * *

"Hey there," Kate greeted him, opening the door to her apartment later that night. She placed a peck on his lips, a peck that he quickly deepened. When they pulled away she was laughing. "I guess you missed me."

"Of course I did," Jack replied. He noticed the door was still open, and he reached around her to shut it. They moved into the living room, sitting on the couch with Kate leaning against him.

"What did you do today?" He asked her, wrapping his arms over her shoulders.

"Nothing interesting," she replied. "I went grocery shopping."

"Fun," he commented. He couldn't keep avoiding the subject though, the topic he needed to bring up. "Hey, I was wondering today, while I was at the hospital, would you mind if I got a hold of your chart? I might be able to get someone to help you; maybe Marc."

He felt her go stiff in his arms and knew he had said the wrong thing. "Jack," she replied, her tone even. "I told you. I don't want to go through all the hard stuff. I just want to enjoy what I have left."

"I know, but Kate-" She cut him off; turning so that she was facing him.

"Please. Let's not talk about the cancer right now," He had to stop himself from flinching at the word. "I just want to be with you. Can't we deal with this later?"

He felt uneasy, but he wanted more than anything to make her happy. "Of course."

* * *

Sorry it was kind of choppy. Please, please review. Let's try to make it to 10, yeah? :)


	5. All Around Me

You guys are amazing! Honestly, getting more reviews than I even asked for made my day! Keep up the good work, okay? ;) I've been really good with the updates, and you can keep it that way. You also may have noticed that the chapters have titles now. Honestly, I just got bored and decided they needed them :). Hope you like!

Anyway, this was originally one BIG chapter, but I decided to break it up in two. The first has a Jack flashback; the second a Kate one. Just a little glimpse into their lives post-breakup. But that also means I've written almost all of the next chapter, so expect to see that soon.

* * *

They were sitting on the couch, quietly watching a movie, when Kate turned around suddenly, excitement lighting up her face.

"Go get your shoes on," she ordered him. She then jumped off the couch, dashing into the kitchen without another word.

"Kate?" He followed her, finding his shoes in the kitchen. "Hey, what's going on?"

She was grabbing her keys off the counter, putting on her own shoes at the same time. "Trust me, you'll love this," she told him. "I'm surprised you didn't think of it."

He cocked his head in confusion. "Kate, I don't-"

She laughed, striding towards the door. "Come on, Jack."

When they reached her car, he offered to drive. She let out another peal of laughter. "You don't even know where we're going," she reminded him.

He couldn't argue with that, reluctantly taking a seat on the passenger side of the car.

At first he had no idea where they were going, not being familiar with her neighborhood. Soon enough, however, the route became one he knew well. His mouth morphed into a wide smile. "You're right. I can't believe I didn't think of this."

She smiled as well, not taking her eyes off the road. "I was wondering when you'd figure it out. She's going to be so happy."

"Happy isn't even the word for it," he replied.

"It's a good thing you got off work so early. It closes in an hour, right?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. You remember that time we showed up at 8:05?" He asked.

"Of course I do. She kept the place open, just for us. She knew neither of us could cook; she didn't want us to go hungry." she chuckled. "I just can't wait to see her face."

Soon enough, Kate pulled into the parking lot. The diner stood in front of them, the same as ever. Same red curtains on the windows, same cracked step, and most importantly, the same sign: Rose's.

Jack took Kate's hand as she stepped out of the car, making their way up the familiar stairs. The door creaked as he pushed it open, and then the bell that signaled a customer rang softly.

"I'll be right there!" Both of their mouths turned into smiles at the voice, coming from under the counter. "Just take any table; we've got a bit of a mess over here."

Jack led Kate to the table but the window, glad it was open. It was the table where they had always sat, back when they came here on a regular basis.

They were just sitting down when they heard a gasp come from nearby. "Oh my god!"

Rose rushed over, her eyes wide with shock. "I can't be seeing this!" she exclaimed. She was staring at the couple as if she had seen a ghost.

"Hey, Rose," Jack smiled, acting as casual as possible. "How are you?"

"How am I?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Who cares? What are you two doing here? Together?"

Kate laughed, but stopped at Rose's stern look. "Don't you laugh at me, honey. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw you from across the diner. I thought I was hallucinating!"

Kate bit her lip to keep from letting her laughter escape again. "Sorry?" she offered.

Rose softened, thought they both knew she wasn't really angry with them in the first place. "Don't apologize, sweetheart. I never thought I'd see either of you again!"

Kate glanced at Jack. "You never came back here?" she asked in disbelief. "You used to come every morning! You said Rose made the best coffee in the city. Which she does," she added at seeing Rose's look.

"I came back. Once," he admitted.

"Poor thing," Rose piped in. "He just sulked the entire time. Almost as bad as when you came in."

"You came back?" Jack questioned, almost as surprised as Kate had been.

"Once," she agreed quietly. "Three years ago."

"Honestly, both of you were a sight to see. I couldn't have you moping around my diner anyway- people might think it was the food!" Rose smiled. "Hey, how about I get you some coffee. Then you can tell me what's going on here."

"Please," Jack replied, and Kate nodded.

"You really only came back once?" Kate asked, after Rose had gone back to behind the counter. Jack had been coming here even before they met, with the diner's location right down the street from the hospital. She couldn't imagine him stopping.

"It was a month after you left," he replied. "I was on my way to the hospital, and I needed a coffee. I thought I'd stop in to see Rose..."

_"Jack!" He heard Rose's voice the second he stepped in the diner. She was in front of him within seconds. "Where have you been? I was so worried."_

_She had a right to be. He and Kate stopped in every weekday morning before he headed off to work. It had been a tradition ever since they met there two years ago. Neither of them showing up for a month must have had Rose believing something horrible had happened._

_But something horrible had happened, just nothing Rose would have thought of._

_"I'm fine," he answered, his voice monotone, eyes glued to the floor. He didn't want to look in her eyes and see the concern that lay there._

_She inspected him more closely, her brow furrowing in concern. "Honey, what's wrong? You look terrible." She peered around him. "Where's Kate?"_

_He stiffened at the name, the now familiar pain seeping through his body. "Kate... uh, she's gone."_

_"What?" Her voice was low in disbelief. "I don't... I don't understand."_

_"There isn't much to explain," he replied, wanting to end the interrogation. "I asked her to marry me. She said no. Then she packed her bags and left." His voice cracked on the last word._

_"Oh, Jack," Rose sighed sadly. "Come on upstairs, sweetheart."_

_She grabbed him a cup of coffee off the counter before leading him to the apartment she and her husband owned above the diner. They both took seats at the little table in the kitchen, although Jack's sitting was more of a slump._

_Rose eyed the man as he stared morosely into his cup. "How long ago?" she asked softly, trying to keep from bringing up anything painful._

_"A month," he answered, his voice portraying no emotion. However, it seemed too practiced. As if he was so used to pretending he didn't care, it had become second nature._

_"I don't believe it," Rose replied, shaking her head. She'd been watching them together for two years; she had even been the one to set them up when they were both still sitting alone in her diner! They had seemed happy, more in love than any other couple who walked through the door._

_"Me either," Jack agreed, still looking down. He was silent for a long moment, but Rose could tell he wanted to say more. She waited, and finally he spoke up. "I loved her, you know?" His voice was hoarse. "I loved her so much."_

_"I know you did," Rose replied, gripping his hand in her own for a moment. "And she loved you too," she said firmly, willing him to believe it. "I know she did."_

_"I thought so," he nodded. "I really did."_

_It was hard just to look at him, the man who had always had a glint in his eyes the past two years. Then again, that had also been with Kate by his side. Now he resembled a zombie, just trying to make it through the day._

_"Well, I guess this explains why I haven't seen you in a while," she said, knowing he was dying for a subject change._

_"Rose, I'm sorry for worrying you." He made eye contact with her for the first time since he arrived. She noticed his eyes were rimmed red, with dark bags underneath them. How long had it been since he'd slept? "I just couldn't come here. All I can think about..."_

_"I understand," she assured him. "This is where you met, where you've been coming ever since then."_

_"I don't think I can come back anymore," he admitted. "Being down there, I just expected to see her sitting at the table, or talking to Bernard over the counter. It's crazy."_

_"It's okay," she told him. "You know you're welcome anytime though, if you change your mind."_

_"Thanks, Rose. I'll remember that." He drained the last of his coffee. "I should really be getting to the hospital."_

_"Okay, honey. You take care now." She led him to the door. "I hope I get to see you soon."_

_He nodded. "Me too."_

_As he was almost out the door, he paused. "Hey, if you see Kate, tell her..." He shook his head. "Never mind."_

_As he walked out the door, Rose frowned, her eye welling with tears. She knew she wouldn't be seeing him._

"It didn't go well," Jack finished. "Too many memories."


	6. Think of You Later

I know, I'm terrible. I promised a quick update, and this wasn't so quick. But I think you'll like the Kate flashback. Also, please more than 6 reviews? Come on, I know you're capable ;)

_

* * *

_

_"It didn't go well," Jack said, "Too many memories."_

"Not going well was an understatement." Rose returned with two cups of coffee. "Honestly, I thought the boy was going to cry."

He shot a look at Rose, who shrugged. "Hey, I said I thought you were going to cry. This one over here," she pointed to Kate, "came in crying and left crying."

Kate ducked her head when Jack looked at her in concern. "It was the day I found out I was sick," she told him.

_She could see that the diner was dark, but there was somebody still in there. Someone who looked alot like Rose. So Kate wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her sweatshirt, walked over to the door, and knocked._

_It was Rose; she could see clearly through the window now. Her face was shocked as she glanced at Kate through the glass, and then the door swung open._

_"Kate? What's wrong?" Rose ushered her inside, turning the light on as they went. _

_"I...I...," She couldn't get a word out, her entire body wracking with sobs._

_"Come here, honey, sit down," Rose tried to lead her to a table, but her sobs increased._

_"No! Not.. Not that one!" Rose looked at the table curiously, but then she remembered. It was the table she and Jack had always sat at together._

_"Oh, I'm sorry," Rose amended curiously, before bringing her to a table on the other side. She wouldn't have thought that would matter two years later. "Tell me what's wrong. Are you okay?"_

_"N-no," Kate stuttered. "I have cancer, Rose. C-cancer." She buried her face in her hands._

_"Oh, you poor thing," Rose said softly, tears springing to her eyes. She moved her chair closer to Kate's, wrapping her arms around the younger woman. Kate rested her head on Rose's shoulder, trying to control her sobs._

_"It's bad, too," she added. "Chronic... chronic something leukemia. I don't even remember the name," she admitted through her sobs._

_"It'll be okay," Rose whispered reassuringly, "You'll be okay."_

_"No, I won't!" Kate choked out, her voice rising. "Do you want to know the worst part? When they told me, the only thing I could think of was how much I wished he was there."_

_"Who was there?" Rose asked, although she was fairly sure she knew the answer._

_"Jack!" She exclaimed, shaking. _

_"Oh, Kate," Rose murmured. "I thought you left him."_

_"That's the thing; I did leave him! I thought I was too young to get married, you know, be tied down. I was miserable after the breakup, but I thought that was normal. But it's not, is it? It's not normal to be miserable for two years, and then to wish he was with me when I find out I'm-I'm...."_

_Rose held her a bit tighter. "I think I know what your problem is," she said softly._

_Kate lifted her head. "You do? Tell me, please, because I need to move on. Two years just isn't right."_

_Rose sighed. "Well, you're not going to like what I have to say then, if what you want to do is move on. Because, honey, you are still in love with that boy."_

_Kate's face was full of shock. "What? I can't still be in love with him! I left him!"_

_"Okay, then. If you're so sure, tell me this. If he came back through that door and said he still loved you, what would your reaction be?"_

_She didn't even seem to think about it. Kate's face crumpled, her eyes wide with realization. "I still love him," she said, fresh tears streaming down her face. "I still..."_

_"Well, why don't you do something about it, then?" Rose said, her voice rising. "I'm sure if you went to see him, he'd-"_

_"Hate me," Kate interjected. "After all I've done to him, he would hate me. I can't go back, Rose."_

_"Kate, you know that isn't true," Rose argued, but Kate held firm._

_"It is." She stole a glance at the clock on the wall. "I have to go. My flight leaves in two hours."_

_"Where are you going?" Rose asked in shock. _

_"I've been doing alot of traveling," Kate answered vaguely. "I thought it would help." She got up, walking towards the door._

_"Kate," Rose called after her, "Has it helped?"_

_Kate let out a humorless laugh. "I think we both know the answer to that."_

"I should have listened to you, Rose," Kate said, "I could have just gone to him that night, and we could have had three whole years."

"You could have saved me three years of worry!" Rose replied. "You tell me you have cancer then disappear? I wasn't sure if you were even alive," she admitted softly.

Kate's eyes widened; that thought had managed to escape her before. "I am so, so sorry."

"And you," she rounded on Jack, "Coming in here with bloodshot eyes and barely being able to stand up. I thought you were going to drink yourself into a coma!"

"Rose," he began, not wanting to tell her how close to the truth she was, "I'm really sorry."

"Yeah, you're both sorry," she replied, "I know that. Just don't do it to me again."

"Deal," Jack replied firmly. "Trust me, you'll be seeing us."

"Yeah, about that," Rose stated, "How did you two even end up here? Together?"

Jack and Kate exchanged a small smile. "I came home one day to a message on my answering machine," Jack began.

"I didn't think he would actually call me back," Kate said firmly. "I just decided that if I was dying, I might as well give it a shot."

Rose didn't miss Jack's face fall when Kate mentioned her death with such ease, but she didn't point it out.

"Somehow I convinced him to stay," she went on, "even though I don't deserve it."

"Don't say that," he told her gently, but also with a force nobody would want to argue with. "It's not true."

Kate gave him a small smile, not agreeing or disagreeing.

Jack noticed Rose watching them, a contented look on her face. "You know," she said, "I never really gave up on you two. Especially after Kate came by, I figured it was only a matter of time. I'll admit, after three years I was starting to get nervous. But I still hoped."

"You just didn't want to admit you were wrong," Jack teased her. "We were your experiment."

Rose laughed. "Well, I wouldn't say that," she replied. "It was just an impulse. I saw two lonely customers, one new to town and one a regular here, and suggested they sit together."

"Suggested?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "You said that if I didn't go sit by her you would withhold coffee for a month."

"You know, it's always hurt a little that she had to threaten you in order for you to talk to me," Kate said, trying to hold back a smile.

"I was afraid to talk to you, you know that," Jack reminded her. "I was just even more scared of not getting coffee for a month."

Kate winked at Rose. "Thanks for the incentive."

"Hey, I saw you eyeing him from across the room. I knew I was doing you a favor."

Kate blushed pink, and Jack smiled at her. He had missed the endearing way she ducked her head when she was embarrassed.

His hand caught hers under the table. He felt her fingers tighten around his, and he reveled in the feeling. Being back in the diner, holding her hand under the table just as they always had, was more confirmation than anything else had been. She was back.

* * *

To make up for the long wait, the next chapter is going to be super fluffy. But savor it, because things are going to get angsty pretty soon after that.


	7. Human

I am so sorry for the wait. My life has been crazy, and I couldn't get around to this at all. I'll try to make the next one faster, but I can't make guarantes. Reviews would definetely help motivate me though. :)

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Jack stood in front of the chief of surgery, Dr. Benson. He had just been paged to his office, though Jack had no idea why. It was a week after he and Kate's visit to Rose's, and they were starting to settle back into each other's lives.

"Yes, thanks for getting here so fast. I have an offer for you, Shepherd." Jack groaned inwardly. The chief didn't make offers; he made demands.

"There's an assembly in New York about recoveries that seemed impossible. You've been invited to speak about Sarah Wagner's case."

Jack felt his stomach drop. Normally this would be an honor, but the timing and subject of discussion both couldn't be worse.

"Sarah Wagner?" he clarified, hoping against all odds that he had heard wrong.

"Yes. Is that a problem?" Benson asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Of course not. It's just, this isn't exactly the best timing," Jack admitted, thinking of Kate.

"Your attendance will help bring St. Sebastian's to the number 1 hospital in the L.A. area, Jack. Is there something more important than that?" It was the chief's usual way of manipulation: insisting that the success of the hospital rested on your shoulders.

"I guess... I guess I can try to work it in," Jack replied, regretting the words the moment they left his mouth.

"Good," the chief smiled. "It's next weekend. I'll send you the details."

"Oh, sir?" Jack asked before he left, "Is Sarah- Ms. Wagner going to be attending?"

"She's invited," Benson replied, "I don't know if she's going."

Jack's stomach dropped all over again. "Thank you."

* * *

"I burned it," were the first words out of Kate's mouth as Jack stepped into her apartment. They were unnecessary; he could smell the smoke the minute he opened the door.

"I can see that," he replied, closing the door behind him. Then he noticed her dejected look, her mouth folded into a frown.

"Hey, it's okay," he insisted, wrapping his arms around her. "I don't care whether you burned it or not, I'm just glad to see you."

He had worked late last night, and gone in early this morning. A car accident case had taken up all his time, preventing him from seeing Kate.

"I'm glad to see you too," Kate smiled, planting a light kiss on his lips. He protested when she pulled back, pulling her face back towards his and meeting her in a much deeper kiss. She hooked her leg around his, running her foot up and down his calf. A gasp escaped her mouth as he spun her around, trapping her between the wall and his body.

"Jack," she said breathily, swatting his hand away as it made it's way up her shirt. "Jack!" she laughed, pushing his hand more forcefully when he didn't listen. "Come on, Marc and his wife are going to be here in a half an hour."

"I can work with that," he smirked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Maybe, but I can't. I have to figure out what to do now that I demolished dinner." She tilted her head towards the stove, reminding him of the disaster that was the chicken she had tried to cook.

"Order pizza," Jack insisted, kissing her neck, "Marc likes pizza."

"Maybe Erin doesn't" she protested weakly, referring to Marc's wife. Now she was just grasping at straws; she was about two seconds from giving in.

"'Course she does," Jack replied. "Everyone likes pizza."

Her lips were on his almost before he finished speaking, giving up on trying to resist. She could feel his smirk as he led her towards the bedroom.

* * *

"Kate!" Marc wrapped her in a tight hug. "It's good to have you back!"

She pulled subconsciously on her shirt when she stepped back, hoping it didn't look out of place. She had gotten ready quickly, thanks to Jack.

"It's good to see you too, Marc," Kate replied. She had always liked Jack's best friend. However, the Marc she had known was a serial dater, but the woman next to him was sporting a sparkling wedding ring.

"This is Erin, my wife," He laughed at Kate's skeptical expression. "Really, I'm not paying her or anything."

"So tell me," Kate smiled, shaking Erin's hand. "How exactly did you tame him?"

Erin laughed in response. "Trust me, it wasn't easy."

Jack came out from the bedroom holding a menu for the local pizza place. "We had a mishap in the kitchen earlier, so I hope no one minds pizza."

"I love pizza," Erin agreed. Jack winked at Kate, causing her to blush.

"Why don't we go sit in the living room?" she suggested, avoiding Jack's eyes.

"You picked the right night to invite us over, man," Marc addressed Jack as he took a seat next to Erin on the couch. "We've actually got some news."

"Oh yeah?" Jack replied. "What did you do now?"

"I got her pregnant," Marc said, his mouth cracking into a huge grin.

"Are you serious?" Jack replied, his eyes widening. "Wow, congratulations!"

"Yeah," Kate added, "Congratulations." Even as she smiled at Marc and Erin, she couldn't help but wonder how things would be if she had accepted Jack's proposal five years ago. Would they be as happy as Marc and Erin, with a child of their own? At this point they could have even had more than one. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that they would have been just as happy, probably even more so. If only she had seen that before.

"I can't believe it," said Jack. "Marc Silverman, having a baby. Damn."

"You're telling me," Marc agreed. "I always thought you'd be the one with the picket fences."

"Yeah, well..." Jack shrugged. Marc shifted uncomfortably, realizing he had reached dangerous territory.

"Hey, I'll be right back. I have to go to the bathroom," he said. As he stood up, he laughed. "Actually, I'm not really sure where it is," he admitted.

"Here, I'll show you," Kate told him. "I have to order the pizza anyway."

She led Marc down the hall, stopping him at the bathroom. "Here you go."

He touched the door handle, then turned. "Hey, Kate?"

"Yeah?" she replied.

"I don't know what changed your mind, but thanks for coming back," he said softly, so as to not be overheard. "He was kind of a mess without you."

"I was kind of a mess too," she admitted. "I don't know how I could have... It was a mistake. A huge mistake."

He nodded. "At least you figured that out," he smiled. "He hasn't been nearly as happy as he is now since you left."

"I just hope it stays that way," Kate said softly, her voice shaky. For some reason, she felt the needs to share her doubts with somebody. And Marc knew Jack better than almost anybody, maybe even herself, making him a prime candidate. "I'm afraid he'll wake up one day and realize he resents me for leaving. And there will be nothing I can say about it, because he would be right."

"That won't happen," Marc assured her. "Even after you left, he never had a bad word to say about you. He was just confused and...sad."

"Thank you, Marc," she said, "For keeping him on his feet."

"Of course," Marc smiled. "But, Kate? If you think you leaving him was bad, losing you forever is going to destroy him."

"He told you?" she asked, not finding herself upset, merely curious.

"I'm an oncologist and his best friend. Of course he told me. He says you aren't seeking intensive treatment."

Kate let out a tired sigh. "I'm not afraid to die."

"If you won't do it for yourself, do it for him." Marc said firmly. "Hell, do it for me. I don't want to have to pick up the pieces again."

Kate bit her lip, keeping her eyes planted on the ground. "I should go order the pizza," she said after a pause.

"I hope I didn't upset you," Marc replied with concern. "I just want you to understand where I'm coming from."

Kate shook her head, lifting her face to smile at him. "No, of course not. I'll see you in the living room."

She took a deep breath when he closed the door, collecting herself before she had to face Jack and Erin. Then she smiled, raised her head, and walked into the living room. "Toppings?"

* * *

"That was fun," Kate said, picking up the plates off the kitchen table. "I like Marc's wife. She knows how to keep him in line."

"Yeah, I'm glad he finally settled down. I was getting tired of forgetting all his girlfriends' names," Jack replied.

Kate smiled, opening the dishwasher. Neither she nor Marc had mentioned their conversation on the way to the bathroom, and she planned on keeping it that way. "So, you wanna stay over?" Kate asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"How can I say no to that?" he laughed.

"You can't," she replied, pecking him on the mouth. "Finish helping me clean and I'll give you even more incentive to stay."

He grabbed a wine glass, dumping out the remaining contents in the sink. "Hey, I was wondering. I have to go to a work thing next weekend in New York, and I'd like it if you came with me."

"New York?" Kate asked her face skeptical. "Wow, uh yeah, sure," she replied, her face forming a smile. "What's all the way in New York?"

"They want me to talk about a case I did around a year and a half ago," he explained, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"Of course I'll come," Kate agreed. "Do I get to hear you talk?" she grinned teasingly.

"If you want to be bored out of your mind," he replied. "I was thinking we could go out after. I haven't been back to New York since college."

"I was there for a little while," she said nonchalantly. "But I never got to see Columbia. You should show me."

"If you want to," he agreed, knowing he would have said yes to anything she suggested.

"I do," she smiled.

"Then I guess we're going to New York," said Jack.

"I guess we are," Kate agreed.


End file.
